Yellow Spodumene var. Triphane on Feldspar

Item Description

From an undisclosed mine in the vast remote pegmatites of Afghanistan's Laghman Province, this is a strange specimen of spodumene. The specimen is gorgeous and geometric, with upright crystals of yellow spodumene to 9 cm, perched on a sparing matrix of unusually pastel blue feldspar crystals. We have never seen feldspar this color from here, almost like a beryl color; and indicative of a very unusual geological environment of formation. The crystals stand straight up like towers, also highly unusual. Lastly, the color itself - yellow - is highly unusual for spodumene. We have seen green and yellow-green but this is definitely more to the straw yellow hue. We would call this a yellow spodumene rather than use the common term for greenish spodumene, triphane. The specimen looks like it is carved of wax, with precision, and yet it is also glassy and even mostly transparent/gemmy in the main crystal. The main crystal is 9 cm x 3.5 x 2 cm. While we have all seen so many singles and loose floaters of different colors of spodumene from Afghanistan, a true matrix specimen like this is a rarity. It is also complete and 360 degrees, without repairs. This is from the broad suite of Pakistani and Afghani pegmatite minerals assembled by Gene Meieran over his 30 years of focus on specimens from this part of the world, often in partnership with dealer Wayne Thompson. One of the strengths of this collection is the variety and breadth (and quality!) of such combination and matrix specimens, when others mostly have only loose singles. This is the kind of thing you just do not see elsewhere, and seems a one-off - which is what makes for the most collectible minerals! Valued $7500-12,500. One last note about this piece - it has a spectacular and unusual orange fluorescence under UV that we have never seen in such material. Proof of strange chemistry, here, aside from the odd blue feldspar matrix! It is weird, strange, unique maybe - and beautiful.